The police say seven suspected kidnappers abducted four members of a family in Abuja, collected N16.2 million ransom for the release of one of the victims, and demanded an additional N50 million before eventually killing her.
Victor Godfrey, the commander of the Force Intelligence Department, Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS), disclosed this to journalists on Friday, while parading the suspects, in the presence of the deceased’s family.
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Mr Godfrey, an assistant commissioner of police, said the deceased, Oluwadamilola Adedayo, 14, was murdered after resisting an attempt by her abductors to sexually molest her.
He said that Oluwadamilola was abducted alongside her mother, Nancy, her 12-year-old brother, David, and their housemaid, Jennifer David, at gunpoint on 23 August.
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Her decomposing body was recovered from a forest in Tukuba, Kuje, Abuja, on 19 October, following an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the FID-STS.
Twelve-year-old David recounted how the kidnappers broke into their homes at midnight, herded them into the forest and held them captive in the mountains.
David said Jennifer collapsed while trekking and was thrown into a stream, where the kidnappers covered her with leaves, believing she was dead.
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The police said Jennifer survived and found her way back home.
David revealed that his sister was killed after she injured one of the kidnappers.
“She now cut the hand of one of them. Then, from there, they got angry. They beat her. They threw rocks at her. Unfortunately, she died. They threw her off the cliff, and nobody can survive that kind of fall,” he said.
One of the suspects, Alidu Lawal, 18, told reporters that the deceased attacked him with a cutlass, showing the wound on his right wrist. Mr Lawal denied attempts by any member of his gang to sexually assault the deceased.
David said he was later tied to a tree by the kidnappers.
“They tied me to a tree, saying that they want to go and buy coke, but they will soon come back. So, I managed to untie myself from the tree,” he said.
David said he climbed down the mountain and spent the night near a stream. The following day, he encountered a “Fulani” herdsman, whom he repeatedly told, “Kuje, Kuje.”
The herdsman led him to hunters, who took him to a village chief. Vigilantes subsequently took him to a hospital in Danfara, Kuje, where his uncles found him, he said.
The police commander said the boy escaped before any ransom was paid by the family, who did not know their daughter had been killed.
The victim’s father, Mr Adedoye, has called for justice, expressing appreciation to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the operatives involved in the investigation.
“The kidnapping and murder of our beloved daughter, Oluwadamilola, at this time has left our family in deep pain. However, the support and assurance from the leadership of the police force has given us strength and hope that justice will prevail,” he said.
“We continue to appeal to the police, with the help of Almighty God, to get to the root of this matter and ensure that all those responsible for this wicked act are brought to book.”
Family paid N16.2m ransom
According to the police, the commando-style abduction occurred on 23 August 2026 in Kuchiyako, Kuje.
The deceased’s mother was released about an hour after the abduction to coordinate ransom payment,
The family subsequently paid N16.2 million for the release of their children. However, the kidnappers demanded another N50 million.
Mr Godfrey, the police commander, did not disclose whether any further payment was made.
Syndicate linked to another abduction
The police commander said further investigations linked the same syndicate to the abduction of a businessman, John Ali, in Kuje on 24 September.
Mr Ali, an indigene of Benue State, was released after the kidnappers collected N3 million and recharge cards worth N100,000, he said.
The suspects were arrested after the Inspector-General of Police’s Secretariat endorsed a petition on 15 October, prompting an intelligence-led investigation.
Two suspects were arrested in Rijana community, Kaduna State, while five others were apprehended in Sagbon Lugbe, Abuja, through a joint operation involving police operatives, vigilantes and other security agencies.
On 19 October, operatives led by Mr Godfrey searched the gang’s camp in Tukuba Forest, where they recovered the deceased’s decomposing body.
Her remains were taken to a hospital mortuary for preservation and a possible autopsy, Mr Godfrey said.
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He identified the remaining suspects as Ishaka Abdullahi, 27; Abdullahi Dabo, 42; Abubakar Jibrin, 20; Barahu Ibrahim, 24; Sani Mohammed, 24; and Yakubu Abubakar, 28.
Mr Godfrey said the suspects were found with four AK-47 rifles, a locally made revolver pistol, 63 rounds of live ammunition, a motorcycle, N400,000 and a mobile phone said to have been used for ransom negotiations.
“Investigation is ongoing, while efforts are being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate and recover additional weapons,” he said, adding that the IGP has reaffirmed his unit’s efforts to “sustain aggressive operations against all forms of criminality across the nation.”
Mr Godfrey urged citizens to remain security-conscious and promptly report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station.
He vowed that such coordinated operations will be sustained and replicated across all states of the federation.
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